Oh where oh where have the last 28 days gone???

As I sit here watching my sweet Brooklynn sleep, it seems all too surreal that she is one month old today. This has undoubtedly been the best month of my life. Getting to know her and see her personality start to take shape is an absolute joy. She has so many little quirks that just make my heart melt and I am relishing every moment of being home and bonding with my daughter.

Reflecting back on the last 28 days, I am excited to share that even though she's considered a 'preemie', she's no ordinary preemie and has hit some major milestones.

MOTION COMMOTION: At just a few days old, she was impressing visitors with her ability to lift her head. She has since graduated to moving her head from side to side and earlier this week, she did a little push up and held her head up high for a few minutes. She looked like a little Bobble Head with her neck working overtime but she did it all by herself! She is also quite the little wiggle worm and loves to squirm, kick and move her arms frantically. During tummy time, she can scoot with her legs if she's got something to push off against, roll over onto her side and likes to lay with her arms folded up under her chin. She's gonna be a poser for sure!

DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR: There are several sounds she responds to, the biggest being her daddy's voice. When she hears him speak from across the room, her eyes instantly start scrolling to find him. She likes to be sung to and will sometimes try to join in with a little high pitched humming tone. One noise that she doesn't respond to or even acknowledge, is her brothers barking, thank goodness! I guess after hearing it so much in the womb, she has become numb to it!

DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE: During her awake hours, she is very intent on taking it all in and has the cutest bright eyed expression as she looks all around. She raises her eyebrows and opens her eyes as wide as they will go. Although her reaction is a tad delayed, she can follow my face if I move it from side to side. She likes looking in a mirror and at the new faces she meets.

ANIMATION STATION: Being the happy baby she is, it's not surprising that she smiles quite a bit. She has many expressions that come out at different times. Every time she gets a bath, she spends her first few minutes with an angry look on her face, eyebrows low, eyes tightened, lips pouty. It usually takes her a few minutes to warm up to the idea and then she loves it. While nursing, she tends to be very excited in the beginning and then very lethargic in the end, almost drunk like. It's quite funny.

SOUNDING OFF: I never knew a baby could make so much noise! She laughs, sighs, coos, grunts and squeals. Every time she starts to drift off to sleep, she has the cutest little giggles and sighs. She also has these deep, long lasting grunts that sound like a little old man, and not just when she's filling a diaper either. Her high pitched squeals are her attempt to talk to us. As some have described it, it sounds a lot like a little kitten. It's amazing how she can communicate with us and respond to conversation.

LIKES/DISLIKES: Contrary to popular belief, not all babies love to be swaddled, Brooklynn being one of them. She wiggles her way out of it every time! She loves to be held and if she's not sound asleep, she will wake up and cry the second you lay her down by herself. She is not a fan of her Pack n Play, yet, either but has taken very nicely to her cradle that the Garland's so graciously made her. Passies... as much as she loves and is comforted by sucking, like all babies, it has taken her a while to get used to a passie. Today was actually the first day she kept one in long enough to fall asleep.